Steam-generator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. WATERS.

STEAM GENERATOR.

v (No Model.)

Patented July 5, 1887.,

N. PETERS, Phntn-Lllhngnphcr, Wash nklan, |1c4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. WATERS.

STEAM GENERATOR.

. Patented July 5, 1887..

Mama Rm QQQA'ZDM N. PETERS. Photo-Lithograph, wnhmgm, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETGE.

JAMEs WATERS, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNEsoTA.

STEAM-GEN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,889, dated July 5, 18817.

Application filed May 5, 1886. Renewed April 15, 1887.

.T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES WATERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators and Furnaces therefor, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-generators and furnaces therefor; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter shown and described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of theplant complete. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view in section on line 00 00 of Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view in section on the line 3 y of Fig. l.

This form of generator is more particularly applicable to marine uses or upon steam-vessels, but maybe used to advantage in many locations on land.

A A represent two double shells or outer casings capable of holding water in their lower parts and steam in their upper parts, and connected at their upper parts by a double shell or flue, A the latter divided centrally by a diaphragm, a, so that steam cannot pass from one shell to the other.

In the lower partof the shell A is aconcave or invertcd-cone-shaped revolving grate, B, and connected to the lower part of the shell A is a smoke-exit fine, 0. Suspended in the shell A above the grate B are a series of tubular boilers, D D D D, united to each other at their upper and lower parts by connections I), and each united to the shell A at or near its upper and lower ends by connec tions If, all the upper connections b I) being above the water-line (indicated by the dotted line) and all the lower connections I) I) beingbelow the water-line, so that the circulation of the water is insured and the heat equalized upon all the different parts.

Suspended in the shell A is a tubular heater or boiler, E, united at or near its upper and lower ends by connections (Z to the shell A, so that the free communication of the water between the boiler and outside shell or water-case is insured. By this arrangement the products of combustion pass upward from the-grate B, through and around the boilers Serial No. 234,974. (No model.)

D D D D, thence over and down through and around the boiler. and heater E,and thence upward, and exits finally through the smokestack 0.

Under some circumstances the shells A A and tubular connections A might be made with single walls, or without the water and steam spaces, and the steam generated entirely in the tubular generators; but the construction shown will generally be employed.

As before stated, the grate B is a revolving one, and this revolution may be accomplished in any suitable manner but for the purpose of illustration I have shown the outer rim of the grate on the under side with a circular gearrack, c, in which a pinion, e", jonrnaled on a shaft, c passing through the shell A,is adapted to engage to revolve the grate.

The grate is very much-larger in diameter than is usualin generators, and is made concave or in an inverted conical shape, so that the fuel will run down toward the center and cover all parts of the grate, and not remain principally at the outer edges, as it would if the grate were horizontal or"convex.?

The boilers D D D D being each the size of an ordinary boiler, the shell A and grate B will be proportionately larger than in ordinary generators, and the fuel, to be effective upon all the boilers, must be manipulated differently from the ordinary methods.

The fuel will be fed to the combustion-chamber through a hopper, F, and falls upon one side of the revolving grate, the latter, by its constant revolution and concave form, cansing the fuel to be distributed inasubstantially uniform layer over the whole surface of the grate, so that each of the boilers D D D D receives its proper share of the heat and the effects of the combustion.

A door, G, on one side of the hopper F, enables the operator to observe the operation of the combustion and spread the fuel more evenly upon the grate, if it is required, just after passing. the hopper, and another door, G on the other side of the hopper F, enables the operator to relieve the fuel from clinkers and ashes just before it passes the hopper.

The grate being so large, it would be very inconvenient to properly supply all partsof it equally with the fuel or reach all parts with pokers; but when arranged to be revolved, as shown, the fuel is supplied to all parts of the grate uniformly, and all parts can be reached through the doors G G with pokers, 850.

A fan,II, adapted to be driven by any motive power, but preferably by a separate donkeyengine or other similar suitable means, is shown arranged to supply an air-blast to the combustion chamber through a perforated pipe, Hflin the ash-pitbeneath the grate B, and

a pulley, H, on the shaft H of the fan is shown connected by a belt, 6, to the worm-gearing e, by which the pinion e is operated,'whereby the speed of the fan and grate will be made to coincide, so that the power which operates the blast and the feeding of the fuel to the grate will. be utilized to govern the generation of the steam.

The inclination and form of the feed-hopper F will be so proportioned to the grate and combustionchamber that the coal will flow from it upon the grate only while the grate is revolving, and the faster the grate is revolved the faster the fuel will be drawn from the feed-hopper, and vice versa. Thus it will be seen that the faster the grate is revolved the faster and greater in quantity will be the flow of the fuel, and the consequent increase of combustion will cause an increased generation of the steam, and if the same motive power which operates the fan or other means for pro ducing the artificial draft be connectedto the mechanism which revolves the grate it will be apparent that the generation of the steam can be made to correspond to the requirements of the motive power which the steam is utilized to operate by changing the speedof the motor which operates the grate and fan.

The fan-shaft H and the shaft 6 to which the grate-operating mechanism is-attached,are shown supplied with cone-pulleys e 11, so that the relative speeds of the fan and grate may be altered as required.

Any other suitable means than the fan II" may be used to secure the requisite supply of air to the grate, and any other suitable means than that shown may be employed to revolve the grate, so long as they are arranged to be connected and work together.

The tubular generator Eis mentioned asbeing a generator or heater, and by reason of the functions which it performs it is both of these at the same time.

d represents tlfe exhaust-pipe from the engine or engines driven by this generator as a whole, and which is conducted into the combined generator and heater E above the waterline. It may be conducted into. the shell A above the water-line, if preferred, instead of into the heater E direct.

, d is a pipe leading through apump, K, from the generator E, just below the top of its waterline, to the shell A near its bottom, whereby the main generator A D D D D is supplied with its feedwater from the generator E, the latter thus serving as a feed-water heater to the main generator, and also as a generator to greater orlesser number may be used, as de sired, the only changes necessary to increase or decrease the number being to increase or decrease the diameter of shells A A and grate B, and also to increase or decrease the capaeityIof the combined heater and generator E to conform therewith.

Retarding-plates M may be inserted into the spaces between the generators D D D D and the shell A, to retard the products of combustion and cause a proper proportion to pass through the flues in the generators. These retarding plates may be constructed in any suitable manner, but will generally be formed of fire-brick h, supported upon-iron brackets h and left somewhat open, so that a small quantity of smoke and other products of combustion may pass through them, but close enough together to retard the'greatermass and cause it to pass around and through the generators.

I claim many advantages by this construction of the boilers. The arrangement of the shells A A enables me to utilize the spaces between their walls for holding a supply of water and steam in addition to that in the main generators D D D D and the combined generator and heater E, and also enabling me to superheat the steam in that part of the shells above the tubular generators.

The arrangement of the tubular generators D D" D D" is an important feature of my invention, as a very extensive heatingsurface is thereby obtained and a very large amount of steam generated in a generator occupying a comparatively small space.

An extensive plant of boilersis thereby obtained, with one combustion-chamber common to all, and that requires but very little more space for its fire-hole than a single boiler or nest of boilers. This latter advan tage is a very important one, especially on steam-vessels and in other places where space is valuable, or where it is absolutely necessary to confine the generators within certain prescribed limits. By this construction the firing is all done on one side of the generator, as in an ordinary boiler, whereas in a boilerplant of the same capacity constructed in the ordinary manner each boiler would require its own separate fuel-door and space in front for the fireman. By this construction, on the other hand, it will be readily seen that I only require a small space on one side of the generator for the fireman to work in, and this space need be only a very little, if any, larger than for a single generator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A combustioirchamber and a series of steam-generators suspended within the same, in combination with a single constantly-rotating grate arranged at the lower part of said chamber beneath all of said generators, and a single feed-opening for supplying fuel to said grate, substantially as set forth.

2. A hollow water-holding shell and a series of steam generators suspended within the same, in'combination with a constantly-rotating grate mounted within said shell and be neath all of said steam-generators, substantially as set forth.

8. A shell, A, with a combustion-chamber provided with a constantly-rotating grate in its lower part, and=having a series of connected tubular generators suspended therein above said grate, said combustion-chamber adapted to be supplied with fuel through a single feedopening in said shell, means for supplying an artificial air-draft to said combustion-chamber,

and *means for connecting the motive power which rotates said grate with the mechanism which operates said artificial air-draft, sub stantially as set forth, whereby the movement of the grate and the supply of air to said combustion-chamber correspond to regulate the generation of steam in said generators. V

4-. The hollow shells A A capable of holding water and steam between their walls, and

with their interiors connected at their upper ends by tubular chamber A having diaphragm a, for separating the steam-chambers of said shells, grate B in the lower part of said shell A, tubular generators D I) D D, suspended in said shell A above said grate,and connected to each other and to said. shell A, tubular heater and generator E, suspended in said shell A and connected thereto, and exitflue 0, leading from said shell A, substantially as set forth.

5. A hollow water-holding steam-generating shell and a series of steam-generators sus pended within the same, said generators communicating with said shell, and said shell being extended up beyond the tops of said generators, whereby a superheating-chamber is formed, in combination with a grate located within said shell and beneath said generators, substantially as set forth.

6. In a furnace for steam-boilers, a grate adapted to be revolved, means for producing an artificial airdraft to the fuel on said grate, andmeans for connecting the mechanism which produces said artificial air-draft with the mechanism which revolves said grate, whereby they correspond in action to regulate the generation of the steam, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES WATERS. Witnesses:

O. N. WooDwARD, L. R. ROBERTSON. 

